Linking machines



Dec. 20, 1966 D. MATTHEWS 3,292,563

LINKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 11, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l N VEN TOR.

MAT 7H5 W5 ,4 T min/5x2 Dec. 20, 1966 D. MATTHEWS 3,292,563

LINKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 11, 1963 4 sheets-sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

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LINKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 11, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet s F IO 1 INVENTOR.

DEN/.5 M4 777/5345 Dec. 20, 1966 D/MATTHEWS 3,292,563 I LINKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 11, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORI OL-W/S MA 7'7'l/EW5 BY V - A 7' TORIVEXSI United States Patent 3,292,563 LINKING MACHINES Denis Matthews, Sutton-in-Ashfield, England, assignor to Matthews & Birkhamshaw Limited, Sutton-in-Ashfieid, England Filed Feb. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 257.719 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Feb. 10, 1%2, 5,194/ 62 2 Claims. (Cl. 112-25) This invention is for improvements in or relating to fabric linking or sewing machines of the general type having means for advancing fabric portions to a yarn control needle, and means for operating a yarn control needle, which is taper ended, to penetrate the fabric portions or loops and return, in the formation of chain stitching by a joining yarn from a supply to inter-connect the fabric portions or loops.

In such machines heretofore the needle has been of eyeletted form with the yarn passing through the eyelet, and in order to form the chain loops from the yarn it has been necessary to provide a device separate from the needle, usually in the form of a looper element, to pick up yarn from the needle and hold it in loop form to be penetrated by the needle, and there is necessarily a critical relationship between said device, and the needle. Because of this said device must be provided with a high degree of precision .which adds undesirably to the cost of producing the machine and because the relationship between said device and the needle needs to be critical it is possible for faults to occur.

. An object of the invention isto provide a linking or sewing machine which is of such improved construction as to avoid the necessity for loop control parts to be provided with a high degree of precision, thereby enabling reduction in the cost of producing the machine and minimizing the possibility of faults occurring.

The invention provides a fabric linking or sewing machine of the type referred to having a yarn carrier adapted to feed yarn to the stitching point at the opposite side of the fabric portions or loops to that of the needle, and the needle, in addition to being taper ended for ease in penetrating the fabric portions or loops, being adapted for releasable catching of yarn for forming and releasing loops in like manner to knitting machine or crotcheting needles.

Conveniently the needle, for said releasable catching of yarn, is formed near its tapered end with an underneath ofi-center hook directed away from the tapered end in such manner that in retraction of the needle, yarn pressed against it will enter the hook and the old chain loop on the needle will pass clear of the hook to have the yarn drawn through it by the hook. Conveniently also the yarn carrier is mounted for displacement to lay the yarn ready for the advancing needle and then to lap the yarn about the needle, there being operating means operable on the yarn carrier for this purpose.

More specifically the yarn carrier in oscillated by suitable operating means in a manner substantially perpendicular to the movement of the needle. The needle is conveniently mounted and operated from the outer side of the fabric portions or loops, with the yarn carrier mounted and operated at the inner side so that the chain loops are on the usual outer side.

The invention also provides in or for a machine as above, a needle having a tapered end, a slot formed near said end, and said slot being inclined in such manner that one side Wall of its forms with the stem an underneath hook, said hook being formed with a top which is disposed towards one side of the stem and the other side wall of the slot including a portion which is level with the tip of the hook.

The invention further provides a linking machine of the type referred to comprising a stand substantially as claimed in my Patent No. 3,107,075, issued October 15, 1963, and having the needle with pointed end adapted for releasable catching of yarn for forming and releasing loops, means reciprocating the needle to extend through an old chain loop and the fabric portions or loops to the other side thereof in coordination with the reciprocation of a yarn carrier disposed at said other side, and means reciprocating the yarn carrier to lap its yarn about the needle stem at said other side so that, in the return of the needle, it catches the yarn and draws a loop of it through the fabric portions or loops and through the old chain loop.

The invention also provides a linking or sewing machine comprising means for advancing fabric portions to a stitching point, a stationary yarn supply, a yarn carrier disposed at one side of the fabric portions and guiding the yarn to the stitching point, a taper end needle with a solid point adapted for releasable catching of yarn for forming and releasing loops in the like manner to knitting machine or crotcheting needles and disposed at the other side of the fabric portions, mean for mounting the yarn carrier and needle, means for reciprocating the needle to penetrate the fabric portions and return, and means for displacing the yarn carrier to lay the yarn ready for the needle and to lap the yarn about the needle.

The foregoing and other features of the invention set out in the appended claims are embodied in the constructions to be hereinafter particularly described in greater detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a general perspective view of a linking machine according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of a needle employed in the machine;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of parts of the machine relevant to the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a modified linking stand according to the invention;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail View of the upper part of the modified stand;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged detail perspective view of part of a needle used in the stand;

FIGURE 7 is another enlarged perspective view of said part of the needle;

FIGURE 8 is a cross sectional view of said needle;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged detail view of modified needle control mechanism according to the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view of part of the modified needle control mechanism;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged perspective view of part of a linking machine showing a fabric knock-off device ac cording to the invention;

FIGURE 12 is a detail side view of the fabric knock-off device in operative position; and

FIGURE 13 is a similar view to FIGURE 12 with the device in inoperative position.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the linking machine is represented by the rotary dial 1 carried by an overhanging radial arm 2 from a pillar 3 supported on a base 4, the machine being driven by a motor 5 supported on a bracket 6 from the pillar 3 and said bracket also supporting a yarn supply 7 which is guided by guide means 8 to the dial 1.

More specifically with reference to FIGURE 3, the dial 1 mounts a circular row of channel points 1a in known manner and it is driven from the motor 5 through belt a and pulley means 9, worm gearing 10, and worm gearing 11.

There is also provided, in this example, the usual needle operating head 12 which is pivotally mounted on a pivot 13, from the supporting arm 2 and is oscillatable from the motor 5, in this example through said worm gearing and eccentric means 14 connected by a connecting rod 15 to the needle operating head 12.

The needle 16 is adapted at one end to be releasably clamped to the head 12 by suitable clamping means 17.

The needle 16 is constructed, in this example, as shown in FIGURE 2 with a circular sectioned stem 16a, a fabric-engaging solid end portion 16b which tapers substantially to a point, a yarn receiving recess 16c and a latch 16d which is pivoted to the stem at 16c and is displaced to open and close the yarn receiving recess 1 60. The needle is curved and is oscillated in its own are by the pivoted head 12.

In this example the needle operates from the inner side of the points 1a but it may be arranged to operate from the outer side if desired.

There is also provided a yarn guide 18 at the opposite side of the points to that of the needle and having an eyelet 180 through which the yarn Y passes to the stitching point A.

The yarn guide 18 is mounted, in this example, eccentrically on a disc 19 which is rotatably mounted by an axle 20 supported in bearings 21, 22 of a bracket 23, and the disc 19 is oscillated from the motor 5, in this example, through a spindle 24 connected between the worm gears 10 and 11 and through an eccentric device 25 on the spindle 24 and which is connected by a connecting rod 26 to the disc 19.

There is further provided in this example stitch guide plates consisting of one L shaped plate 27 at the inner side of the points 1a and an outer angle plate 28 having a block end 28a and an aperture 28b for passage of the needle 16 through the guide plate 28.

The needle 16 has an oscillatory motion in its own are to penetrate fabric portions or loops on the points 10 and to return, and the yarn guide 18 has an oscillatory motion in a plane perpendicular to the vertical plane in which the needle 16 operates.

In the operation of the machine, needle 16, having thereon only a single previously drawn chain stitch yarn loop, is advanced through the fabric loops suspended on a point to extend from the inner side of the dial to the outer side thereof, with the previously drawn chain stitch yarn loop remaining on the inner side of the dial. As needle 16 extends from the outer side of the dial, the oscillation of the crank means or eccentric 19 causes yarn guide 18 to draw yarn transversely across theneedle path intersecting the plane in which the yarn Y is drawn.

draw a single new chain stitch yarn loop of the releasably caught yarn Y through the superposed fabric loops on the dial points and then through the previously drawn chain stitch loop as the latter is cast off the forward end of the needle around the single newly drawn chain stitch yarn loop at the inner side of the dial. Simultaneously, with the retraction of needle 16, the direction of reciprocation of yarn guide 18 is reversed. The foregoing operation is cyclically repeated.

The needle employed may be substantially according to any of the modifications disclosed in my US. patent application Serial No. 257,715, filed February 11, 1963, and now US. Patent No. 3,265,021, to which reference is directed for full details.

It is to be further understood that the particular mechanism disclosed for the linking machine in FIGURE 3 is by way of example only, and any suitable motion transmitting mechanism may be provided for obtaining the osciiiatcry movements of the needle and yarn guide.

The linking machine may be mounted on a stand sub- Needle 16 is then retracted and catches yarn Y in its hook 160 to 4- stantially as disclosed in my US. Patent No. 3,107,075, issued October 15, 1963.

In the modified linking stand of FIGURES 4 and 5 the needle 116 is arranged to operate from the outer side of the dial points 1a and of the fabric loops thereon and the yarn carn'er 118 is arranged to operate from the inner side thereof.

Conveniently also drive to operating mechanism for the needle and yarn carrier is taken from an electric motor and through a flexible drive indicated at 105a in FIG. 4.

An advantage of this arrangement is that, as shown in said Patent No. 3,107,075, the chain loops will be at the outer side as is usual instead of at the inner side when formed by the arrangement of FIGURES l to 3.

Conveniently the needle is, as indicated in FIGURE 6, of substantially rectangular cross section and isformed with a circular cross sectioned, solid, pointed tip 116a; In addition there is formed near the pointed end 116a, a slot 11611 which as shown in FIGURE 6 terminates in an inclined end 116a. FIGURE 7 shows that the slot inclines to the longitudinal axis of the needle, and FIG- URE 8 shows that the slot inclines also to the transverse axis of the needle.

The effect of forming the slot is to provide an under. neath hook 116d the tip 116e of which is offecenter so that as shown in FIGURE 8 it is substantially level with the lower portion 116 of the opposite wall of the slot.

The arrangement is consequently such that as shown in.

FIGURE 7 the slot 116b allows entry of yarn Y which is lapped about the needle, as previously described, so that the yarn is caught by the hook 116d to be carried along with the needle in its retraction. FIGURE 8 shows that the effect of the tip 116e,of the needle hook and the opposite portion 116 substantially The needle 116, FIG. 9, is conveniently carried by a lever 129 which latter, as shown in FIGURE 10, is mounted freely on a stub axle 130, and the upper end of this lever is connected by a link 131, FIGURE 9, to a pivoted:

plate 132 which is connected by a link l33'to an eccentric 134 on a shaft 135 which is'driven by said fiexible drive 105a, shown in FIG. 4.

The lever 129 has a rear bush 129a behind which there is a spring 136 on the stub axle which biases the lever 129 towards the end stop 137 on the stub axle 130.

Between the lever 129 and the stop 137, there is a wedge 138 which has a slot 139 receiving the stub axle 130. The wedge 138 is connected b-y a link 140 to a lever'141, the other end of which carries a cam follower142 engaging a disc cam 143 on said driven shaft -which is in part eccentric and in the otherpart provides a quick fall.

In operation the eccentric 134 operates the needle 116 in usual oscillatory manner and the wedge 138 is operated by the ca m disc 143 to gradually move the needle laterally in synchronism with the clockwise movement of the dial 1, this action being against the spring 136 so that when the needle 116 and the dial 1 have been moved one pitch distance of the points 10, the cam 143 returns the wedge 138 so that the spring 136 returns the lever 129.

and the needle 116 to their original positions;

FIGURE 9 also shows that the yarn canrier 118 is pivoted to a bracket 144 and is oscillated in a vertical plane through link connections 145, 146 to an eccentric a triangular shaped deflector plate 158 disposed under the points In and, when in the operative position shown in FIGURE 11, the outer edge 158a of the deflector inclines from an inner position to an outer position in relation to the points 1a so that as the fabric F is carried round by the dial 1 it engages the deflector edge 158a and is thereby pushed along the points 1a to their outer ends and beyond so that the fabric is knocked off the points as shown.

FIGURE 12 also shows the operative position of the deflector 158, in which position it is held by a lever device 159, pivoted to a bracket 160, the other end of which has an operating rod 161 projecting upwardly from it and terminating at its upper in a finger knob 161a. The rod 161 extends through a stationary plate 162 and it is biased downwardly by a spring 163 to bias the deflector 158 upwardly into its operative position.

For moving the deflector 158 downwardly into an inoperative position when not required for use, the rod 161 is raised by the knob 161a and a suitable friction clip 16-4 is provided on the rod 161 for retaining its position until the knob is depressed to return the deflector back to the operative position when required.

What I claim is:

1. A single chain stitch linking machine comprising, in combination, a rotating dial carrying a circle of points projecting in the same direction radially therefrom for suspension of fabric loops thereon; a longitudinally curved needle having a relatively long solid point and a rearwardly facing hook inwardly of said point; first mounting means mounting said needle adjacent one side of said dial for oscillation radially of said dial through respective fabric loops on said points and along a needle path extending to both sides of said dial; a yarn guide having an eyelet through which yarn is threaded; crank means mounting said yarn guide adjacent the opposite side of said dial for oscillation across the needle path in a plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical plane including the needle path; first eccentric means connected to said needle to oscillate the latter; second eccentric means connected to said crank means to oscillate said yarn guide; and common driving means operating said first and second eccentric means in coordinated relation to oscillate said yarn guide to draw yarn transversely across said needle path as said needle is advanced through fabric loops for the needle to catch the drawn yarn in its hook and draw a new yarn loop through said fabric loops as the needle is retracted, with the previously drawn yarn loop being cast off the needle as the latter is retracted.

2. A method of joining plural fabrics by single chain stitch linking, comprising the steps of suspending loops of the fabrics in superposed relation on points on a 1'0- tatable dial; advancing a needle having a relatively long solid point and a rearwardly facing hook inwardly of the point, and having thereon only a single previously drawn chain stitch yarn loop, along a point through the fabric loops suspended on the latter to extend from. one side of the dial to the other side of the dial with said previously drawn chain stitch yarn loop remaining on said one side of the dial; in coondination with such needle advance, drawing yarn transversely across the needle path only at said other side of the fabric for the needle to catch the drawn yarn in its book; retracting the needle, While the latter is holding the caught yarn, through the superposed fabric loops to its original position at said one side of the dial to draw a single new chain stitch yarn loop of the releasably caught yarn through the superposed faibri-c loops on such point and then through the previously drawn chain stitch loop, as the latter is cast off over the hook and the point of the needle around said single newly drawn chain stitch yarn loop at said one side of the dial.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,030,813 6/1912 Holmes 112-262 1,714,928 5/1929 Sigoda 112-198 1,953,247 4/1934 McAdams 1l2-25 2,050,563 8/1936 De Spain 1l225 2,167,104 7/1939 De Spain 11225 2,264,234 11/ 1941 Bell 112-25 2,871,806 2/1959 Bley l12--416 3,119,360 1/ 1964 Mayer 112-25 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

FRANK I. COHEN, G. V. LARKIN,

' Assistant Examiners, 

1. A SINGLE CHAIN STITCH LINKING MACHINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A ROTATING DIAL CARRING A CIRCLE OF POINTS PROJECTING IN THE SAME DIRECTION RADIALLY THEREFROM AFOR SUSPENSION OF FABRIC LOOPS THERETO; A LONGITUDINALLY CURVED NEEDLE HAVING A RELATIVELY LONG SOLID POINT AND A REARWARDLY FACING HOOK INWARDLY OF SAID POINT; FIRST MOUNTING MEANS MOUNTING SAID NEEDLE ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF SAID DIAL FOR OSCILLATION RADIALLY OF SAID DIAL THROUGH RESPECTIVE FABRIC LOOPS ON SAID POINTS AND ALONG A NEEDLE PATH EXTENDING TO BOTH SIDES OF SAID DIAL THROUGH RESPECTIVE EYELET THROUGH WHICH YARN IS THREADED; CRANK MEANS MOUNTING SAID YARN GUIDE ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID DIAL FOR OSCILLATION ACROSS THE NEEDLE PATH IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE VERTICAL PLANE INCLUDING THE NEEDLE PATH; FIRST ECCENTRIC MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID NEEDLE TO OSCILLATE THE LATTER; SECOND ECCENTRIC MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CRANK MEANS TO OSCILLATE SAID YARN GUIDE; AND COMMON DRIVING MEANS OPERATING SAID FIRST AND SECOND ECCENTRIC MEANS IN COORDINATED RELATION TO OSCILLATE SAID YARN GUIDE TO DRAW YARN TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID NEEDLE PATH AS SAID NEEDLE IS ADVANCED THROUGH FABRIC 